A father died after going into the sea at Seaton Carew in Hartlepool to save his children as tragedy struck a family day out, an eyewitness has told. The County Durham man who ran into the sea himself said the dad had run in after two of his children were caught in what he described as a 'riptide'.
Heartbreakingly, the dad lost his life alongside a dogwalker who had also run in to save the youngsters in a tragedy he described as the "worst thing I've seen". Davey Short, 48, of Bishop Auckland, helped to rescue one of the children, and has spoken about how the shocking events unfolded.
Emergency response and aftermath
The incident, described as a "major operation" by onlookers, saw Cleveland Police and RNLI lifeboats respond, after two children 'got into difficulty' in the water. The children survived, with emergency services remaining on the scene on Monday after Sunday's tragedy. Those who lost loved ones are being supported by specially-trained police officers as they grieve.
Eyewitness account
Mr Short, a painter and decorator, said: "There were three children at the beach with their mam and dad, a boy aged 15, a second boy aged 11 or 12 and a younger girl. The two younger kids were in the sea and they'd started to struggle in the waves."
"I had taken a stroll along the beach from my mother's home nearby and was planning to have a dip but the sea looked a bit choppy and rough so I sat down on a sand dune looking out to sea. I realised that there was a child in some trouble they were getting buffeted by the waves and as I looked I saw a second figure next to the boy and he was face down in the water."
"At first I thought he was snorkelling but I realised something had gone wrong. I discovered afterward that the children's father had gone in to rescue them, was swept away, and didn't get back out."
Dogwalker's sacrifice
"A second man had also gone in and he drowned as well. He was a guy who had been out walking his dog with his partner and he ran in to help. She saw the whole thing, it's devastating to think about that."
"I was the third person to go into the water. The children's mother was on the beach, she was hysterical and asking if I could help because she couldn't swim."
"Her eldest son had gone into the water as well to try to rescue his brother and sister but they were still out there I managed to swim out and get hold of the boy. I told him 'swim to me, swim to me' and I managed to grab hold of his hand and pull him towards the shore."
Rescue efforts
"The waves were strong and they were pushing us around and I lost my grip but with the help of another guy I got hold of him a second time and managed to get him to the shore. I realised all three children were safe and accounted for but their dad was still in the water and I knew that he had gone."
"He was out there for maybe 40 minutes before the rescuers could get to him. I helped the mother to move their things from the beach and carry them over to the ambulance where the kids were being checked over."
Emotional impact
"I felt for those children and for their mum, they saw it all happened and it's something that will never leave any of us. I didn't sleep a wink last night. Every time I closed my eyes I could see the man in the water."
"They were just a nice, normal family having a day out at the beach on a lovely hot day and this happened out of the blue. My heart goes out to them. People have been in touch to thank me for what I did but what else could I do when children were in danger like that? I'm a father myself and I hope someone would have done the same for my kids. It's the worst thing I've seen and shows how dangerous the tides can be."
"I'm also thinking about the poor partner of the other man. They were just having a Sunday walk along the beach and he did everything he could for a family he didn't even know, it cost him his life."
Police statement
In an update, Temporary Chief Superintendent of Cleveland Police, Helen Wilson said: "Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by the incident in Seaton Carew yesterday. We are continuing to carry out enquiries on behalf of the Coroner, and officers are supporting the families involved in this incident."
